Artificial Light: Its Influence upon CivilizationLuckiesh, Matthew
History
Artificial Light: Its Influence upon Civilization
Luckiesh, Matthew
Electric lighting; Lighting -- History
For extremely low brightnesses another set of physiological processes
come into play. Based purely upon the physiological laws of vision it
seems reasonable to conclude that mankind should not work under
artificial illumination as low as has been considered necessary owing to
the cost in the past. With this principle of vision as a foundation,
experiments have been made with greater intensities of illumination in
the industries and elsewhere and increased production has been the
result. In a test in a factory where an adequate record of production
was in effect it was found that an increase in the intensity of
illumination from 4 to 12 foot-candles increased the production in
various operations. The lowest increase in production was 8 per cent.,
the highest was 27 per cent., and the average was 15 per cent. The
original lighting in this case was better than that of the typical
industrial conditions, so that it seems reasonable to expect a greater
increase in production when a change is made from the average inadequate
lighting of a factory to a well-designed lighting-system giving a high
intensity of illumination.
In another test the production under a poor system of lighting by means
of bare lamps on drop-cords was compared with that of an excellent
system in which well-designed reflectors were used. The intensity of
illumination in the latter case was twenty-five times that of the former
and the production was increased in various operations from 30 per cent.
for the least increase to 100 per cent. for the greatest increase.
Inasmuch as the energy consumption in the latter case was increased
seven times and the illumination twenty-five times, it is seen that the
increase in intensity of illumination was due largely to the use of
proper reflectors and to the general layout of the new lighting-system.
In another case a 10 per cent. increase in production was obtained by
increasing the intensity of illumination from 3 foot-candles to about 12
foot-candles. This increase of four times in the intensity of
illumination involved an increase in consumption of electrical energy of
three times the original amount at an increase in cost equal to 1.2 per
cent. of the pay-roll. In another test an increase of 10 per cent. in
production was obtained at an increase in cost equal to less than 1 per
cent. of the payroll. The efficiency of well-designed lighting
installations is illustrated in this case, for the illumination
intensity was increased six times by doubling the consumption of
electrical energy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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